Seoul Subway Detects 53,000 Annual Fare Evasion Cases... 80% Involve Misuse of Preferential Cards

It has been revealed that, over the past three years, an average of more than 53,000 cases of fare evasion have been detected annually on the Seoul subway, resulting in the imposition of additional charges exceeding 2.5 billion won each year. In just the first quarter of this year alone, 8,812 cases were cracked down on, with 462 million won in additional charges levied.

Seoul Subway. The Asia Business Daily DB.

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On April 27, Seoul Metro announced the results of its fare evasion crackdown and stated that it would continue its strong enforcement efforts and legal actions. From 2023 to 2025, the number of detected fare evasion cases exceeded an annual average of 53,000, and the amount collected in additional charges surpassed 2.5 billion won per year.

By type, the misuse of preferential transit cards accounted for about 80% of all cases, making it the most frequent. Most instances involved borrowing a preferential card issued to a parent, spouse, or other family members or acquaintances. This was followed by cases of unreported free rides and the misuse of discount tickets.

The misuse of the Climate Companion Card is also on the rise. Last year, when full-scale crackdowns began, 5,899 cases were detected and 294 million won in additional charges were collected. The main methods include using another person's card, card sharing, and unauthorized use of youth cards. Seoul Metro has strengthened preventive measures, such as displaying a purple indicator on the ticket gate and playing a "youth discount" announcement, to deter fraudulent use.

Anyone caught fare evading is required to pay the fare plus an additional surcharge of up to 30 times the fare, in accordance with the Railroad Business Act and the Passenger Transport Terms and Conditions. If there is a history of past fare evasion, surcharges for previous offenses can also be retroactively claimed. Seoul Metro files criminal complaints against those who fail to pay, citing computer fraud and unauthorized use of facilities under the Criminal Act, and pursues civil lawsuits and compulsory execution to collect unpaid charges. Last year alone, the company filed 17 civil lawsuits and carried out 40 compulsory executions against defaulters.

On April 24, 13 metropolitan railway operators held a fare evasion task force meeting and agreed to conduct a joint prevention campaign at six stations, including Hongdae Ipgu Station. Seoul Metro is also upgrading its enforcement methods by utilizing a big data-based crackdown system and smart station CCTV monitoring.

Ma Haekeun, Head of the Operations Division at Seoul Metro, stated, "The subway is a public asset used by millions of citizens every day, so fair usage order is of utmost importance. Fare evasion is a clear criminal act that undermines a fair social order. We will do our best to establish a proper subway usage culture through ongoing publicity, campaigns, and strong crackdowns."

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